


Life After Death

by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX



Category: Ghost Hunt
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Drama, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rare Pairing, Romance, at least I think so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-03-30 00:50:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxXxDarkVampirexXxX/pseuds/XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: SPR takes on a difficult case where they learn that all families have a deadly secret that they try to keep quiet. Mai becomes closer to a certain monk, while they attempt to figure out why a dark entity is haunting a seemingly innocent man and his lover. Naru finally gets told off for his arrogance, and the truth about Bou-san's past finally comes out. All isn't as it seems.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! So, this is my first Ghost Hunt fic with this particular pairing. There isn't much with them out there unfortunately, which is why I wanted to try my hand at it myself. Hope it'll be alright.
> 
> Warning: there will be mentions of child abuse, emotional, physical, and sexual. None of it will be detailed or graphic, but I wanted to make sure you guys know, especially because it might make some uncomfortable, or be a trigger.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters...

"Mai, tea!"

It was the boss man's voice that sounded alongside the first roll of thunder on a hot, humid August afternoon, and as the grey skies flashed brightly, the boss' young assistant sighed heavily.

Nineteen year old Mai didn't bother calling back. She simply got to her feet and headed into the little kitchen alcove in the back corner of the room. As she began preparing some tea, she found herself really hoping that the storm wasn't going to worsen. She  _hated_  thunderstorms due to her unfortunate fear of them, stemming from her childhood. Stupid irrational fears...

With the tea ready, and Lin not at work today, Mai made her way over to Naru's office, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," was the curt response that greeted her.

Huh. He sounded rather annoyed, which wasn't making Mai feel any better about any of this. Opening the door and nudging her way in, the girl found her twenty year old boss seated behind his desk, hunched over and hard at work, just like always. It was something she had once found to be both exasperating and cute, but now merely found to be exasperating. She had since given up on asking him when he slept. Without a word, she placed the cup of tea on the large wooden desk, and was just turning to leave, when Naru finally glanced up at her.

"Call up the team. We have a case." And with that, he silently dismissed her and refocused on whatever he had just been working on before she'd entered.

Stifling a sigh and not bothering to question it, Mai left the smaller office and headed back to her own desk in the main lounge. Smoothing her skirt out under her, she sat back down and picked up the phone, dialing up Bou-san's number first as she tried her best to ignore the thunderstorm happening just outside.

_"Mm hmm?"_

Mai laughed lightly, unable to help herself. "Still in bed, Bou-san? It's the middle of the day!"

The monk let out a low groan.  _"Was up late,"_ he replied, his voice deep and slurred with sleep.  _"Had a late rehearsal, so I didn't manage to get to bed until eight this morning."_

Mai frowned slightly, and released a sound of sympathy. As a nineteen year old university student with a job at SPR, she knew  _all_  about lack of sleep. And it seriously sucked. "I'm sorry for disturbing you then, but Naru wanted me to call everyone up. He says we've got a case." She heard a shuffling, followed by a grunt, signalling that Bou-san was moving around on his bed-and why this had the girl's cheeks heating, she didn't want to look into right now.

_"A case, huh? Been a while. We meeting up at the usual time?"_

"Hai. Well, I guess so, at least. I mean, he didn't say anything else, so I'm assuming it's then."

_"Probably."_ He sighed, then continued.  _"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow morning then, Mai-chan."_

"Un. Try and get some sleep. Oh! And don't forget to eat, okay?"

The monk chuckled, clearly somewhat amused by her words.  _"Yes, mum. Later, Mai."_

"Bye!" Disconnecting from the monk, Mai called up the others to give them the same information, and once finished, leaned back in her chair and stared out the rain slicked window. She flinched as lightning flashed brightly, then sighed again and returned to Naru's office so she could tell him who was and wasn't going to be joining them on their new case...

* * *

Bou-san, meanwhile, did not go back to sleep, as he had said he would do. Still in bed, he rolled over onto his back, and brought a forearm over his eyes, covering them as he fell into thought, a frown on his face.

He knew that no one else would have found his conversation with Mai to be strange whatsoever, but they would have been very wrong. Though the girl had sounded cheerful enough, Bou-san knew she was far from. For the past couple of years now, Mai had been quite sad-more than quite, really. And that sadness seemed to be something very few seemed to be aware of. Mai hid it well.

It had been about two years since they had found out about Naru-Shibuya Kazuya, actually being Oliver Davis. It had been two years since they had learned about his twin brother Eugene Davis, and how, where, and when he had died. It had been two years since they had found out that Mai's 'Dream Naru' was actually Gene. It had been two years since Mai had told Naru the truth of how she felt about him.

Naru and Lin had been planning on returning to England with Eugene's body, and Mai didn't want them to leave without allowing herself to speak the words she had been thinking for so long. So she had confessed to him, told him everything, and Naru had simply blown her off like it was nothing, had told her she was in love with his dead twin, rather than him. She didn't know what she was talking about, he had told her. She couldn't tell the difference between them, he had said. She was projecting Gene's behaviour onto him, he had informed her.

And then he'd left, with those cold words being the last thing he had said to his young assistant who had sacrificed so much for him, who had used up all the courage she had to confess her feelings for him.

It was a low blow, and Mai had taken it rather hard. She had been inconsolable for about a month, hardly speaking a word to anyone, and going about her daily life mechanically. After that month, she had pulled herself together somewhat, and then had spent a long time thinking hard about who  _exactly_ it was that she had these feelings of what she thought was love, for. She had come to the conclusion that even though he could be an arrogant bastard, it was indeed Naru she cared about.

Somehow knowing Naru would return to Japan for sure, Mai had spent the rest of the time studying her ass off. She remembered every time Naru had insulted her intelligence, and had worked so hard to make herself smarter. She had finished high school, passing every class, even English, with flying colours, and had even entered a good university.

But when Naru had come back a few months ago, all of them, not just Mai, though her especially, had received a bit of a shock. Naru was no longer single. No, in the time he had been in Britain, Naru had, at some point, hooked up with none other than Hara Masako. And to make matters even worse, her arrogance seemed to have rubbed off on Naru, making him even  _more_  arrogant than before, which was really rather unfortunate.

Bou-san knew that Naru having Masako as a girlfriend had really hurt Mai. She had worked so hard to, well, prove to him that she wasn't just a childish fool, that she was intelligent, and knew exactly who she had feelings for, and now...

It was actually a little strange, thought the monk. Even at nineteen, Masako pretty much still looked the same as she had at sixteen. Hell, she'd barely even grown. Mai, on the other hand, had gone through a minor growth spurt, and had grown her hair down to her shoulders, not to mention she'd, er, filled up nicely. Mai's body clearly showed that she was no longer a child, a thought that haunted Bou-san more that he liked to admit, even to himself.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. There was no way he was going to be falling back asleep now.  _You have to stop thinking about her like that_ , he told himself firmly.  _She's like your little sister, isn't she? You can't think about your sister that way_. These were words that often went through his mind-words he forced himself to think whenever he started thinking of Mai in a less than innocent manner.

_You delusional idiot. You only say you see her as a sister so you won't have to face the truth. You're attracted to her. Attracted to her in a way that isn't brotherly at all. Attracted to her in a way that isn't innocent at all. You think of her, dream of her-her smile, her laugh, her curves_. Unfortunately for him, the man's mind had learned to talk back to him. ...Ugh, that only made it worse!

"God dammit!" Furious with himself, Bou-san reached around and grabbed the closest thing-a magazine, flipped it open to a random page, and began to read, desperate for a distraction. He had to, absolutely  _had_ to stop thinking this way. Mai would probably kill him if she ever learned of his thoughts, and he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship for  _anything_.

But what Bou-san didn't know, was that Mai had some confusing, but less than innocent feelings for him too...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPR takes on a difficult case where they learn that all families have a deadly secret that they try to keep quiet. Mai becomes closer to a certain monk, while they attempt to figure out why a dark entity is haunting a seemingly innocent man and his lover. Naru finally gets told off for his arrogance, and the truth about Bou-san's past finally comes out. All isn't as it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Thank you to all readers so far!

There was a light drizzle falling when the team met up outside SPR's office at eight the next morning. The usual black van, along with Bou-san's car were parked out front, already packed with equipment and suitcases-they never knew how long their cases were going to last, so it was better to be over prepared than under. They all greeted one another tiredly, some of them not speaking at all, though that wasn't much of a surprise.

Once everyone was there and prepared, Naru and Lin got into the van, while the others (Bou-san, Ayako, John, and Mai) packed into the monk's car, and they drove off, the car following after the van, since Lin was apparently the only one who seemed to know the way to wherever it was they were going.

Yasuhara, busy with summer classes, wasn't going to be joining them (at least not right now), though he had informed them that he was open to helping them with research if needed, even despite his school work. Masako however, had other engagements at the other end of the country, and wasn't going to be helping at all as far as they knew. Naru didn't seem too pleased with that.

Though Mai used to situate herself in the van with the other two normally, she had since stopped doing so unless it was necessary. It wasn't worth the torture. So instead, she happily settled herself next to Ayako in the backseat of the car, joining in on the rather inappropriate conversations that were taking place-although they kept things tame enough for John, just to be polite, what with him being a priest and all. It wouldn't be very fair otherwise.

"So, uh, who's the client in this case?" asked Bou-san finally, turning left as he continued to follow the van. "What's the deal?"

"I have no idea," Mai replied with a shrug. "Naru didn't say." She frowned slightly, her brow furrowed. "He...doesn't really say much to me anymore anyway," she muttered. And then she caught sight of their stricken faces, and smiled quickly. "Sorry, sorry, I'm fine," she assured them.

Deciding it would probably be better to change the subject, Ayako then told them all a hilarious story about something that had happened at the hospital the other day to a friend of hers. And when Mai began laughing hysterically in response, she smiled, aware she had made the right choice here. Wanting to continue on this path, she remembered another story and recounted that one too, pleased with the way she had managed to distract Mai from her somewhat morbid thoughts.

While Mai was cheerful enough, she found her good mood wavering slightly when the drizzle turned into a pounding rain, another storm cell rolling through the area. It was going to be a very hot summer this year, according to meteorologists, which meant it was likely that there were going to be many more storms like this...much to Mai's displeasure. Stupid storms...

With their location being rather far, they decided it would be best to switch drivers at the half way point-Bou-san and Ayako changing places. As the miko got into the driver's seat, the monk moved in next to Mai, who smiled at him as he settled in. He nudged her playfully, only to have her nudge him back with a laugh.

The four in the car chatted and laughed as Ayako followed the van leading the way in front of them at a steady pace. The rain alternated between pouring and drizzling, as if it was unsure about what it wanted to do, and the darkened skies, soft chatter, and sway of the car soon lulled Mai into a light sleep.

Nobody noticed that Mai had fallen asleep until her head dropped down onto Bou-san's shoulder. The man glanced at her, finally noting her state of unconsciousness, and with a small smile, gently brushed her hair away from her face. He gazed at her only for a moment before looking away back out the window, silently telling his brain to shut up before it could get started taunting him.

More time passed, and Bou-san found himself getting increasingly tired. John and Ayako had kept up a steady conversation, but the monk found he was too sleepy to join in. Or maybe that was just because he was too distracted. Mai had sort of...cuddled into him in her sleep, and one of her small hands was now resting on his thigh. He didn't want to move her, because he didn't want to risk disturbing her-or so he was telling himself.

"Finally!" exclaimed Ayako suddenly, causing the monk to jolt to attention. She brought the car to a stop behind the van. "I guess this is it. They're getting out. Come on."

Ayako and John got out first, followed by Bou-san and Mai, once the former had woken the latter. Having been cooped up in the car for so long, the first thing Mai did was stretch. Bou-san happened to glance over at that very moment, only to see that in the midst of her stretch, Mai's shirt had risen up, exposing her pale, smooth navel. He looked away immediately, clenching his fists.

Furious at himself for the way his fingers were itching to touch that soft skin, he settled with simply nudging her again instead. "Look," he said, nodding towards the house.

"Hm?" Mai followed his gaze and looked over, her body going slack and her jaw dropping. "I-is that a house or a castle!?"

"Both?" Bou-san replied. He was pleased to see that it wasn't just him and Mai who were surprised with the size of the house. John and Ayako were staring openly, and even Naru and Lin seemed faintly surprised. Whatever they had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been...this.

The group approached the massive, western style house, taking in the green garden around them, bright and neat. There were large trees bearing fruits, and beautiful, lovely smelling, colourful flowers everywhere. The walk leading up to the front doors was made of old, grey stone, and the house itself looked as if it was made of the same material, though it likely wasn't.

Naru was the first one to reach the large, wooden front doors, and he rang the bell, his face expressionless and passive, as always. They didn't have to wait long before the doors were swept open, revealing a man dressed in a simple black suit. He topped off at about six feet, had dark brown hair that was swept back away from his face, and sharp green eyes that seemed to be appraising them. It was clear he wasn't from Japan, a fact proven when he spoke.

"Good afternoon," he greeted them politely in a voice that clearly stated he was an Englishman. He bowed neatly. "Please, come in." With that, he took a step back and to the side, allowing them to enter and file into a rather long hallway. Once they were all in, and the door closed, the man turned and began to walk down the hall, the rest following after him.

The hall opened up into a large, almost lobby-like room, but the man didn't stop there. He took them through a door at the other end of the room, followed by another, and then yet another. Mai, walking next to John, was already unsure of how to get back to the entrance. ...Oh dear.

The green eyed man led them through a final door, and into a rather comfortable looking room, large and lined with elegant furniture. "The parlour," he announced. "Please, have a seat. Mr Cross has been delayed and is on his way back as we speak. Shall I perhaps bring you something to drink while you wait?"

"Thank you, Mr-?"

"Michael," replied the man. "Simply Michael." He bowed. "Tea and coffee, then?" At their nods, he added, "Very well," and then departed, leaving the team alone in the room...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now. I've got a bad migraine right now, which makes it a bit hard to concentrate, so I'm sorry if this is a tad on a dull side. Comments? Kudos?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPR takes on a difficult case where they learn that all families have a deadly secret that they try to keep quiet. Mai becomes closer to a certain monk, while they attempt to figure out why a dark entity is haunting a seemingly innocent man and his lover. Naru finally gets told off for his arrogance, and the truth about Bou-san's past finally comes out. All isn't as it seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Thank you to all readers so far!

From his seat beside Mai, Bou-san let out a long, low whistle, greatly impressed. Mai nudged him in the side, as if in reprimand, but the effect was lost because she herself was stifling a giggle. But they weren't the only ones feeling like this. Their entire group (some, more than others) were peering around the room, trying to get their bearings and take everything in around them.

The room was on the darker side, painted in burgundy, with large wooden furniture that matched nicely. The windows were closed, because of the unpredictable weather, but the thick curtains had been pulled back to reveal rain slicked glass.

"This place is huge!" Mai exclaimed suddenly, finally voicing what had been on her mind since they had entered the place, and no longer able to keep it to herself. "It looks bigger than that Urado mansion though." She paused, hesitating. "I hope it isn't built the same way."

John, who was sitting next to Ayako, shook his head. "I doubt it," he said. "The only other building built in a similar manner, would be the Winchester mansion in America. This...home may be big, but I highly doubt it's anything like those. It merely seems large for the sake of being large, rather than confusing or menacing in any way."

The girl nodded once, relieved. "Thank god for that. I hated it there." Too much had happened in that house-that case. She didn't want to go through any of that  _ever_  again.

It was Ayako who spoke next, voice impressed. "Hey, Naru, who's the client here? He must be pretty loaded to own a place like this." Which made sense, actually. It wasn't like just  _anybody_  could buy a place like this.

Naru didn't answer at first, leaving them to assume he wasn't going to bother telling them at all. Then, after a long and rather awkward pause, "Isaiah Cross."

Silence fell again, until the monk released another long whistle, impressed. "Damn, didn't see  _that_  coming."

Mai, on the other hand, frowned, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Who's Isaiah Cross?" she asked curiously. His name sounded vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't put a face behind it at all, or even what the name meant to her.

"You've heard of him, Mai," replied the miko.

"I have?"

"Yes," agreed the priest. "I'm quite sure you have."

"He's the guy who owns half the shit in the world," added Bou-san with a grin.

There was a deep chuckle, followed by a smooth voice, clearly belonging to an Englishman. "I would not say  _half_  the world, but a good chunk of it, yes."

The group looked round as one. Standing in the doorway opposite from the one they had come through-one they hadn't even noticed was there, was a man. He was tall and rather lean at six foot four, had hair that could pass as both blond and platinum that fell just past his shoulders neatly, a pair of crystal blue eyes, and looked to be in his late twenties, at a guess. He was dressed in a nice suit, but had the dark jacket draped over his arm, leaving him in a crisp, blue shirt.

He approached them and shook hands with them all, introducing himself as Isaiah Cross, and then settled in the remaining armchair across them. "I apologize for making you wait," he said politely, "but it was a late minute meeting, and one I needed to attend in person."

"It's nothing to worry about," said Naru, "we weren't waiting long."

"Is that so? Well, I thank you nonetheless." The older man paused here as the butler, or whoever Michael was, returned to the room to hand out the tea and coffee, before dismissing himself again. Once he was gone, Isaiah spoke once more. "Now, you already know the gist of what I have been experiencing, Mr Davis, but allow me to explain in more detail."

The others were, naturally, rather surprised at the fact that Isaiah knew Naru's true identity, especially as it was still, technically speaking, a secret. Then again, he was a rich businessman from England, so was it really as big of a surprise as they were thinking it was? Still, none of them said anything, unwilling to face Naru's wrath.

Gently setting his drink down on the nearest table, Lin opened up his laptop. They always needed to record interviews so that they could refer back to them if needed, and he was the one who did said recording, simply because he typed the fastest. If he was unable to do so, then by default the job would fall to Mai, and if she too couldn't, then Yasuhara would be stuck doing it.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning?" voiced Isaiah, receiving a nod from Naru in response. "Very well. ...I'm not sure if you know, but I own homes in many of the major cities on this planet. Where I go or live, depends on where my work takes me. I'm currently in Japan on business, which could take anywhere from five months to five years to complete, and even that is guesswork."

"How long have you been here for now?"

"Just about a year," replied the older man. "I have stayed in this house multiple times in the past, but this is the first time something like this has occurred. To my knowledge, at least."

"Does Michael always travel with you?"

Isaiah blinked, as if caught off guard by the question, but composed himself again almost immediately. "Ah, well that also depends on my work. If it's like my current stay here, where I will have to remain in a location for an extended amount of time, then yes, he does. If I'm simply on vacation, or a short business trip, then no. In the latter instance, he will simply remain behind in whatever house we have been living in at the time, or go on a trip of his own to take some time off. Though it would do you well to speak to him regardless, for he has experienced a few things himself."

Naru's dark blue eyes narrowed slightly, as he focused on the man before him more intently. "What exactly have you experienced?"

As her boss posed this question, Mai suddenly caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. It looked like dark shape-nothing distinct, just a blob. Yet when she turned her head to get a better look at it, nothing was there. She frowned, a look of confusion crossing her face. She was positive she had just seen something, but what?

When Bou-san, noticing her straying attention, gave her a subtle nudge, she refocused on their client, but as soon as she looked at the blond man again, that  _thing_  from a moment ago returned. It was there just like before, only visible from her peripheral. She turned her head quickly, but just as before, it was gone.

That didn't make sense. She didn't understand it. How could it be there one moment, and then have disappeared the next? Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Somehow, she didn't think so. There was definitely something in this house, and she had a feeling it wasn't particularly good.

Having been so lost in her confused thoughts, Mai didn't realize that she had just missed most of what Isaiah had said. Oops? She once again refocused on him, this time determined to remain that way, and was just in time to hear him explain what had prompted him to call SPR in the first place.

"It was actually a friend of mine who really opened my eyes to what was happening here," he was saying. "She was staying over for the night, not for the first time, and she was...she was attacked.

"Attacked in what manner?" questioned Naru, taking a sip of tea.

Isaiah paused, as if collecting himself and his thoughts. "It's...difficult to explain," he said slowly. "It was late at night, or early in the morning, if you will. I had some associates over for an evening gathering-not an odd event. My friend, Kazumi, had arrived earlier that afternoon, and attended the event at my request. As the event went on, she began feeling ill, so she excused herself and went upstairs. She was resting in my bedroom. She would have been alone in there for hours, but I don't believe anything occurred until I too was asleep."

"Were the two of you in the same bed?"

"We were, yes," replied the blond, unabashed. "I was awakened to her thrashing about and crying out." He frowned here, but continued. "At first, I simply assumed she as having a nightmare, something that is not uncommon for her."

"Kazumi-san gets lost of nightmares?" wondered Mai curiously.

The man nodded in response, but said nothing to elaborate on his previous, and rather strange comment.

"I assume that what happened to her that night was no nightmare, then?" John said slowly, his brow creased.

"You would be right. It wasn't a nightmare. I only thought it was because she was behaving in a similar fashion as to when she is trapped in one of those night terrors."

"But you're saying she was really being attacked?"

Isaiah's expression darkened as the memory of said night returned to him. It was clear it upset him. "...Yes. It-whatever it is, was touching her in a very indecent manner, and likely would have gone further if I hadn't picked her up and carried her not just out of the room, but out of the house itself."

"How did you know what was happening to her?"

"She told me. Once I realized that Kazumi was actually awake, I tried to get her to speak to me. I wanted to help her, of course, but to do that I needed to know what was wrong. And it was then that she told me what she was feeling." The man sighed, took a sip of coffee, then said, "She was very frightened, and has refused to stay the night since, even if I am there beside her."

"And that's why you called us? Because of what happened to Kazumi-san?"

Once again, Isaiah nodded. He set his mug down, and then folded his hands in his lap. "Despite what I was experiencing myself, I still did not believe in spirits. I was of the opinion that some of the incidents were figments of imagination, or simple coincidence. Kazumi, who has experienced other minor events in this house, wasn't exactly pleased with me when I continued to refuse to acknowledge what was happening. Of course, after that last incident, I could no longer deny it."

When Isaiah paused and looked out the nearest window, the others exchanged glances, but none of them said anything. Judging by his posture and the expression on his face, the man obviously needed this moment, and though they didn't fully understand, they gave it to him. It was about a minute later that Isaiah finally spoke again, his eyes locked with Naru's, the seriousness in them a far cry from the calm and charming look he had given them when he had first entered the room.

"This place-my house, is supposed to be a place where Kazumi can feel safe. She is not supposed to be afraid while she is here, whether it be alone, with Michael, or with me. She already has enough fear in her life as it is." His fists clenched in his lap. "I am not all that concerned for myself," he told them solemnly. "It's Kazumi I care about. If my own home, a place she should be considering a home as well, is no longer a place where she can be safe..."

Naru nodded once. "I understand."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Kudos?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Sorry about the wait. Thank you to all readers so far!

Ten minutes later, Mai found herself sitting on a lovely couch in a very large room that, for the time being, was meant to be their Base. Naru and Lin were conversing quietly in a corner, leaving the others to do as they pleased, temporarily, of course. There was no way Naru would allow them to run around half cocked.

Yawning, Mai stretched, then looked over at Bou-san and Ayako, who were arguing about who even knew what, as she and John watched them in amusement. Those two really could be so silly sometimes, especially for a couple of adults. But when their argument suddenly changed from one topic to another, Mai rolled her eyes. They never had to worry about getting bored when these two started arguing like this. Seriously.

Slumping down in her seat, Mai carefully examined Bou-san from beneath her lashes. She was getting confusing feelings when it came to the monk. She...considered him her older brother, right? Just as she knew he considered her a younger sister, right? She sighed inwardly. Sometimes she really wished he  _didn't_  see her as a sister. She didn't  _want_  to be seen as a little sister. Actually, she didn't know  _what_  she wanted. She was seeing him in a way she hadn't really seen him in before, but at the same time, these thoughts weren't  _exactly...new._

Even when she'd been completely obsessed with Naru, the occasional odd thought about the monk used to sneak up on her. Obviously, being more attracted to her boss at the time, she'd been more concerned with that than anything else, but now...now she wasn't really sure.

She didn't like Naru any more- _love_  Naru any more, and maybe she never really even had. At least, she didn't think so. But with no more Naru to think about, there was nothing left in the way to distract her from her rather confusing, but not so innocent feelings for a certain monk who just happened to be in a band. On of her favourites band actually, now that she'd bothered giving them a listen.

"Guys, listen up, because I'm only going to say this once," snapped Naru suddenly.

Everyone immediately fell silent, knowing that it was time for work.

"Yasuhara-san will be doing some research from home. It will be on the usual. You know how it works."

They nodded to show that they were listening, silently allowing him to go on. After making sure that they were indeed listening, Naru continued.

"Matsuzaki-san and John, I want you to conduct a walkthrough of the property. Take a MEL Meter* with you and note down the base readings in every, yes  _every_  room." Ignoring John's polite stare and Ayako's indignant sputters, he went on. "Takigawa-san, Mai, set up equipment in the locations I've specified on this list. We don't have enough cameras or mics for every room, so you lot will have to make continuous trips to verify both EMF* and temperature." He watched them all nod, then frowned. "Well, what are you all waiting for?"

The four immediately jumped to their feet, gathered what they needed, and practically flew out of the Base. Naru seemed really pissy today, probably due to the fact that since Masako wasn't with them, he couldn't shag her. The group knew that all Naru and Masako really did when they were together was have sex. Even Lin was aware of it, considering his office was right next to his ward's, and Masako wasn't  _exactly...quiet._

It was with deep sighs that the group split up in their teams in the hallway outside the Base. With the house they were in being so big, just doing simple jobs was going to be such a drag.

"You alright, Mai?"

Mai looked at the monk, blinking in an almost owlish way. "I'm fine," she said. "Why?"

Bou-san shrugged. "Nothing, it's just that you seemed a little distracted earlier. While we were talking to Isaiah? You kept looking around."

"Oh, right." She hesitated slightly, wondering if she should confess her concerns. After a moment, she decided she should. It never mattered what she said, Bou-san always believed her without question. So she began to explain what she'd both seen and felt in the parlour not all that long ago.

Bou-san did exactly what Mai had expected him to. He simply listened to her quietly, not interrupting her for anything. His face betrayed nothing, but his eyes remained trained on her. He didn't speak at all until she had finished.

"I see..." he said slowly. "And you feel as if this thing is bad?"

Slowly, Mai nodded. "Un. I don't know why though. And I couldn't get a direct look at it either. Every time I looked, it would vanish, but when I looked away, it would reappear."

Now Bou-san nodded, silently showing that he was listening. Finally, he said, "You know you're going to have to tell Naru-bou this, right?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I know." She sighed. Mai didn't really like dealing with Naru much any more. Not after he had rejected her. Not when Masako flaunted her relationship with Naru in her face whenever she had the chance.

For the next little while, neither Bou-san nor Mai knew what to say. Their silence wasn't exactly awkward, but  _was_  a little strained. They continued with their set up, only speaking to confirm camera angles with Lin over the walkie.

It was a few minutes later that Mai suddenly began to feel faint. Surprised and confused, she stopped and placed a hand on the wall when she felt like her knees were going to give out. Trying to regulate her breathing, she realized that Bou-san hadn't noticed anything yet. He was still walking down the hallway.

"Bou-san..." She felt her eyelids begin to droop as she watched the monk glance over his shoulder, watched him rush towards her. A pair of strong arms circled around her body, and Mai knew no more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *EMF-electro magnetic field, a type of magnetic energy that spirits are said to give off, though electronics do as well, and so does the planet itself.
> 
> *MEL Meter-a device that measures and displays both the EMF and temperature readings of the area just around it.
> 
> That's it for now. Comments? Kudos?


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